Jeremy Mayfield, who hasn’t competed in NASCAR since failing a May 2009 drug test and unsuccessfully suing to get the suspension overturned, called into a radio show Tuesday night to ask NASCAR Chairman Brian France if he could race again.

France told Mayfield he needed to go through NASCAR’s recovery program for drivers who violate the sport’s substance-abuse program.

Suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield called a radio show Tuesday to ask NASCAR CEO Brian France how he could be reinstated. (AP Photo)

“I just want to ask Brian if he’s willing to accept the fact that I’d like to come back racing and if we could sit down and talk about it and figure out what we would need to do and make that work,” Mayfield said.

France responded: “Jeremy, you know the path back for you. It’s the path back for anybody. I’ve always hoped that you would choose the right path and not litigation and a bunch of other things.

“That’s up to you. You have a welcome mat out (for you) anytime you want. There’s a stated process that AJ Allmendinger just went through and we welcome him back and it’s terrific. That’s up to you.”

Mayfield said: “OK. Well I appreciate that and I didn’t mean to bother you on the show but it’s the only way I could get hold of you and I figured it would be a great opportunity to do that. You guys have a good night.”

France said: “We’d love to have you back.”

According to NASCAR, Mayfield failed two drug tests, one on May 1, 2009 and another on July 6, 2009 — five days after he had obtained an injunction that kept NASCAR from suspending him. Under NASCAR’s substance-abuse policy, a third failed test would result in a lifetime ban.

During the initial legal proceedings, NASCAR alleged that Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamine.

The driver has said that the first test was a false positive caused by a mix of over-the-counter allergy medication and prescription Adderall. He said the second test was a mistake and that he passed a drug test at an independent lab that same night.

Last March, the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling throwing out Mayfield’s lawsuit against NASCAR and France, ruling that he had waived his right to sue and questioning the strength of his case.

Mayfield also faces a methamphetamine possession charge along with 18 felony charges relating to stolen goods as the result of a Nov. 1, 2011 search of his home. He has pleaded innocent to those charges and has alleged that NASCAR officials have worked with prosecutors in the case against him.

He said after a court hearing on Monday that he would consider a plea deal but would not agree to any jail time. If convicted on all felonies, Mayfield faces a possible — although unlikely — sentence of more than 40 years in jail.